Display



Sept. 22, 1959 Filed May 15, 1957 W. A. BERTRAM DISPLAY 2 Sheets-Sheet lSept. 22, 1959 w. A. BERTRAM DISPLAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1957INVENTOR. W/km Q. B L MM United Stats DISPLAY William A. Bertram,Chicago, 111.; Lillian D. Bertram, administratrix of said William A.Bertram, deceased, assignor, by court decree, to Lillian D. Bertram,individually Application May 15, 1957, Serial No. 659,289

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-4531) This invention relates to a merchandise displayand more particularly to a display of this type that may be used on acounter or the like to exhibit the actual product.

It is essential that a display of this type be simple and inexpensive toconstruct. It should be of such size with respect to the size of thearticle to be displayed that it occupies minim-um space. Also, it shouldbe of a structure that will display a product and prevent pilferage sothat products of some value may be displayed on the counter without thepossibility of ready theft. And finally, it should be of a constructionthat will admit of a break-down package for shipping and an easyassembly by the merchant when received for use on the counter.

The present invention is an improvement upon the structure shown in anapplication for Letters Patent filed by me of even date herewith. Inthat application, the display structure comprises two walls, a displayplatform extending between the two walls and forwardly from the frontWall, a windowed opening in the front wall and a transparent window thatacts as an enclosure for a portion of the area of the platform extendingforwardly and for the windowed opening in the front wall. While thestructure prevents pilferage of the product being displayed, it is notcompletely theftproof in that the area enclosed between the two walls isopen at the top. Likewise, for this reason, the structure is notdustproof, nor does it afford full vision of the product beingdisplayed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved displaystructure that is theftproof, dustproof, gives full vision and can beformed from a single sheet except for the transparent enclosure carriedupon the platform.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improveddisplay structure that is exceptionally simple to construct and toassemble, yet provide a very unique arrangement that has exceptionalvalue from the display point of view.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improveddisplay structure that presents an attractive and pleasing appearanceand provides panels for advertising copy that greatly adds to the uniqueappearance of the structure and its value as a disply structure.

Although made of a single sheet of material, the device is strong andsubstantially constructed, and can be used to great advantage as acounter display.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the display;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the display;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the same;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3;and

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, at substantially reduced size, of thetransparent enclosure as it is cut from flat sheet stock and before itis formed into its position upon the platform.

As illustrated in the drawings, a display embodying the inventioncomprises a platform 5, a back wall 6, a top wall 7, and a hinged panel8 supported in slightly tilted position by a back member 9, all of whichmay be integrally formed from a single sheet of material. A transparentenclosure 10 is adapted to be disposed upon plat form 5 and attached toback wall 6 with top wall 7 resting upon and closing off the upper openend of transparent enclosure 10.

Platform 5 is preferably rectangular in shape although it may taperslightly toward the front. The three open side edges 11, 12 and 13 areprovided with downwardly extending panels 14, 15 and 16, respectively,to act as vertical supporting walls for raised platform 5 and toprovide, if so desired, advantageously exposed surfaces to carryadvertising copy or media. Front panel 15 may have a hinged flat member17 adapted to be provided with slots 18 for receiving tabs 19 punchedout of flat folds 20 and 21 integrally formed along side panels 14 and16 (Fig. 6). The arrangement of the parts 17, 20 and 21 provides a verysimple but strong supporting structure for raised platform 5 that iscapable of carrying the weight of the product or products to bedisplayed within the transparent enclosure on platform 5.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, transparent enclosure 10 is preferably cut orformed out of flat flexible transparent sheet material. Its outline willdepend upon the shape intended for the flexible enclosure portion of thedisplay. Due to the fact that, in the specific embodiment of theinvention disclosed herein, it is designed to give practically fullvision of the product to be displayed and assume a circular formation atthe front, the sheet stock is cut with a long outer convex edge 22 and ashorter concave edge 24. Convex edge 22 is provided with a locking lug25 having a tongue 26 extending to the right as shown in Fig. 8 toprovide a slot 27 between it and the convex edge 22. Concave edge 24 isprovided with a similar locking lug 28 having a tongue 29 and a similarslot 30 but extending in the opposite direction with respect to tongue26 of locking lug 25. Similarly formed locking lugs 31 are provided inpairs along the short edges 32, each locking lug 31 having a downwardlyextending tongue 33 to form a slot 34 opening at the bottom between itand the edge 32. It will be noted that slots 27 and 31) open in oppositedirections.

As illustrated in the drawings, back wall 6 is provided with fouropenings 35 of a length equal to the distance a (Fig. 5) which issubstantially the length of the lugs 31. The height of transparentenclosure 10 is such with respect to the location of slots 35 that whenlugs 31 are inserted therein, they will be permitted to drop in slots 35to the extent of the depth of their respective tongues 33 or the depthof the slots 34. This provides a locking arrangement for transparentenclosure 10 requiring the latter to be raised a slight distance fromplatform 5 in order to remove lugs 31 from slots 35 and thus detachtransparent enclosure 10 from back wall 6.

As previously pointed out, top wall 7 is adapted to rest against theopen upper end of transparent enclosure 10. At the hinged portionbetween top wall 7 and panel 8 is a slot 37 shown clearly in Figs. 3 and7. Slot 37 is also provided of a length equal to the length of lug 28.Another slot 38 is provided at the hinged portion or along the frontedge 13 between platform 5 and front panel 15 (see Fig. 7). This slot isalso of the length of locking lug 25. However, slot 37 is so arrangedwith respect to slot 38 that one is off-center with respect to the other(Fig. 3) and requires preferably an insertion of the lower locking lug25 and its movement to the right slightly before locking lug 28 may beinserted in slot 37. This effects a slight shifting which can beobtained due to the flexibility of the transparent enclosure before thefinal locking of the latter can be effected. When the front panel 8 isthen supported in tilted position, as shown in Fig. 1, with member 9likewise held in position by virtue of its tabs entering slots 41 in topwall 7, the trans parent enclosure is securely locked in position toprevent its ready removal without the disassembly of panel 8 and topwall 7. This provides the structure sufficiently theftroof to preventpilferage because immediate access to the interior of the transparentenclosure cannot be obtained without causing a noticeable disturbance.

Any attempt to pilfer the product on display on platform would requirefirst freeing back member 9 by withdrawing tabs at from slots 41 in topwall 7. Immediately front panel 8 would tend to drop backwardly from itssupported position as shown in Fig. 1. The weight of this panel wouldthen press against top locking lug 28 of transparent enclosure 10. Toremove locking lugs 25 and 2.8, however, from their respective slots 37and 38, both hands should be used to effect a reverse shifting actionfrom right to left with respect to these two lugs 25 and 28 and theirrespective slots 37 and 38. Then the top wall 7 should be liftedupwardly in order to permit lifting of the transparent enclosure to liftside lugs 31 out of slots 35. The entire disassembly operation is of acharacter and kind that does not tend to invite unauthorized attempts toobtain access to the interior of the transparent enclosure 10. Theproduce being displayed is in effect securely locked within thistransparent enclosure which, due to the manner in which it seats uponplatform 5 and is secured to back wall 6, affords substantially fullvision of this product on display.

The theftproof nature of the display disclosed herein permits exhibitingarticles of substantial value without fear of pilferage. The display issimple and may be formed from a single sheet except for the transparentenclostu'e 10. This improved display structure presents an attractiveand pleasing appearance and provides channel areas such as 8, 14, 15 and16 for advertising copy that greatly adds to the unique appearance ofthe structure and its value as a display structure.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain thecharacter of my invention that others may, by applying currentknowledge, readily adapt the same for use under varying conditions ofservice, without eliminating certain features, which may properly besaid to constitute the essential items of novelty involved,

which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a counter display, 'a vertical wall, a platform extendingforwardly from said vertical wall, a top wall also extending forwardlyfrom said rear wall and spaced from said platform, a transparentenclosure seated upon said platform, said walls and platform havingslots therein, and offset tabs on said transparent enclosure forengaging in said slots and detachably locking said transparent enclosureto said vertical wall when said transparent enclosure is seated uponsaid platform.

2. In a counter display, a vertical wall, a platform extending forwardlyfrom said vertical wall, a top wall also extending forwardly from saidrear wall, a transparent enclosure seated upon said platform, saidtransparent enclosure comprising side wall portions and a curved frontwall portion, the said side portions extending forwardly from saidvertical wall, said vertical wall having slots therein, said sideportions having offset tabs for said slots whereby said transparentenclosure is detachably locked to said vertical wall when it is seatedupon said platform.

3. In a counter display, a vertical wall, a platform extending forwardlyfrom said vertical wall, a top wall also extending forwardly from saidrear wall, a transparent enclosure seated upon said platform, saidtransparent enclosure comprising side wall portions and a curved frontwall portion, the said side portions extending forwardly from saidvertical wall and being attached to said vertical wall, said verticalwall having slots therein, said side portions having offset tabs forsaid slots whereby said transparent enclosure is detachably locked tosaid vertical wall when it is seated upon said platform.

4. In a counter display, a vertical wall, a platform extending forwardlyfrom said vertical wall, a top wall also extending forwardly from saidrear wall, a transparent enclosure seated upon said platform, saidtransparent enclosure comprising side wall portions and a curved frontwall portion, the said side portions extending forwardly from saidvertical wall and being attached to said vertical wall, the said curvedfront portion being attached to said platform and said top wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LynchMar. 5,

